Harry Potter Fanfics

Brothers In All But Blood

Title: Brothers In All But Blood
Author: fashionista_extraordinaire
Site: Archive of Our Own
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34583857

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“James, you giant oaf, you’re stepping on my toes!”

“I can’t help it if you got huge over the summer, there isn’t room for the both of us under here anymore!”

“Arse.”

“Oh, love you too, mate.”

James’s voice dripped with sarcasm, but Sirius could detect the genuine affection underneath the sarcasm. The two of them had been inseparable ever since meeting on the Hogwarts train in their first year. Sirius thought higher of James than of anyone else he knew, although he would never say such a thing aloud, of course. Especially not around Moony.

Remus had joined their little gang a few weeks into first year when he had caught them setting up a prank on one of the teachers. For several seconds the three of them stared at each other, while James and Sirius waited for him to call for a teacher. Remus had surprised them both by pointing out that if they set up the dung bombs like THAT, they would immediately set the bombs off when they got up. He then proceeded to show them how to properly set up the trap. They had invited him to be part of their group on the spot. That was also how Peter had gotten mixed up with them. Peter had been the only person to be nice to Remus in his first few weeks, and Remus refused to become part of the gang without him.

But no one could replace the special corner that James held in his heart. James was his best friend, brother by another mother, and partner in crime all rolled into one. Two summers ago, he had been able to visit James for a whole three weeks, and they had been the best three weeks of his life. Getting away from the gloomy, depressing walls of Grimmauld Place, away from his mother screaming and throwing things, away from his father hiding in his study, away from his brother being the perfect little suck-up… that had been wonderful enough. But James’ parents had welcomed him in with open arms and had been so excited to meet him. For those wonderful three weeks, he had been able to pretend he was part of an amazing little family.

Sirius shook himself mentally. Now was not the time. He refocused on creeping down a moonlit hallway, squeezed under an invisibility cloak not meant for two tall teenage boys. He and James were on their way to Professor Slughorn’s office to conduct an absolutely awesome prank. Moony was meeting them there, but James needed something from the library, and Sirius had volunteered as a lookout. James stopped outside the library entrance and whispered, “You want the cloak, or can I take it?” Sirius considered. “Nah mate, you take it, if somebody comes, I’ll tap the door three times and duck into one of these classrooms.” James nodded and was gone a minute later.

Sirius stuck his hands in his pockets and turned his attention to the hallway. He had no idea what was getting into him tonight. He was never this distracted. He resisted the urge to whistle. Suddenly, he felt eyes on him. He whipped around and found the yellow eyes of Filches cat, Mrs. Hobbes. Sirius scowled at the cat but knew that wherever Mrs. Hobbes was, Filch wasn’t far behind. He tapped three times on the library door and ducked into the nearest classroom. He intended to hide behind a desk or maybe a cupboard but found himself stopping and standing in the middle of the room, staring at what was in the middle of the classroom.

It was a mirror. Tall, beautiful, and ancient-looking. It was an ornate gold and had clawed feet. Stepping closer, Sirius noted the words inscribed across the top of the mirror, Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. He stepped even closer, and then recoiled, and looked hastily over his shoulder because he was not the only person reflected in the mirror. And yet, when he looked frantically around the room, there was no one else. It was just him. He stepped back in front of the mirror, more cautiously this time. He stared, and the people were back. “James?”. What was reflected back at him was indeed his face, but he was surrounded by other people.